From now until the 2026 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Boise State TE Matt Lauter.
No. 85 Matt Lauter/TE Boise State – 6030, 246 pounds (Redshirt Senior)
Measurements
Player Ht/Wt Hand Size Arm Length Wingspan
Matt Lauter 6030/246 9 31 3/8 77 3/8
40-Yard Dash 10-Yard Dash Short Shuttle 3-Cone
4.68 1.68 4.40 7.02
Broad Jump Vertical Bench Press
9’6″ 30 21
*Pro Day Results
The Good
– Overall pass game asset
– Runs crisp routes with snap at top of break, can create separation underneath
– Capable of adjusting to throws in the air and making tough catches in traffic
– Good post-catch ability, breaks tackles and powers ahead for extra yards
– Effort blocker who drives feet and competes
– Experience aligning all over formation and asked to run block and pass protect
– Strong 2024 production
– Plenty of starting and playing experience with some special teams value (punt coverage team primarily)
The Bad
– Undersized and looks small on the field with below-average hand size and just okay length
– Beat up at point of attack in the run game and struggles to stick, missing play strength
– Whiffs too often when asked to redirect his block
– Average athlete without much speed or wiggle
– Poor pass protector who struggled on the edge
– Too many drops on easy catches underneath, common on his tape
– Often delayed and late out of his stance, timing must improve
– Numbers regressed in 2025
Stats
– Career: 97 receptions for 1,146 yards (11.8 YPR), and 12 TDs across 54 games (32 starts)
– 2025: 37 receptions for 330 yards (8.9 YPR), and 12 touchdowns across 13 games (eight starts)
– Recorded 47 receptions for 619 yards (13.2 YPR), and 7 touchdowns in 2024 season
– Career: 2,191 career snaps (1,619 inline)
– 699 offensive snaps in 2025 (455 inline, 154 slot, 57 wide)
– PFF’s No. 157 tight end in 2025 among 173 qualifiers (No. 139 receiver); No. 46 out of 85 in 2025
– Six drops in 2025, only three FBS tight ends had more (14 percent drop rate ranked 19th)
– Nine career drops with an 8.5 percent rate
– Two-way HS player with 20 receptions/3 touchdowns and 47 tackles/pick-six as HS junior – also served as team’s punter
Injury History
– 2025: missed Notre Dame game with concussion, returning following week
– 2025: rumored but unconfirmed broken hand he played through during the season
Bio
– Turns 24 in September 2026
– Three-star recruit from Gainesville, Florida (played high school in San Diego, California because the “schools were elite”), and returns to Florida twice a year (Christmas and summer)
– Chose Boise State over UNLV
– Middle child with two brothers
– Father, Steve, played college ball at Washington and San Diego State and briefly had NFL career with Chargers and Browns; uncle and grandfather played at UCLA and Northwestern, while cousin played QB at Georgetown, and brothers played lacrosse
– NFL mentor is TE Austin Hooper, who knows the Lauter family through his Dad
– 2024 First Team All-Mountain West
– Four-time All-Academic conference selection
– Avid hunter and fisherman
Tape Breakdown
Lauter caught my eye while tuning into plenty of RB Ashton Jeanty’s games throughout the 2024 season. He had a stellar 2024 season, overshadowed by Jeanty’s performance, but proved a vital part of the passing game. Lauter made big plays downfield and post-catch, and that’s where he shined brightest.
He also runs crisp routes and snaps out of the top of his break, making for a lack of pure athleticism.
As a blocker, he gives effort and flashed a couple of good reps. This one was my favorite, running his feet and taking the defender (No. 8) downfield. He drives and strains to finish.
But he’s undersized and looks small on the field. His strength at the point of attack is poor, and he’s too often beaten up at the LOS. Quick-twitch EDGE players like Penn State’s Dani Dennis-Sutton (No. 33) gave him fits, too.
Drops became a big problem in 2025. Lauter couldn’t handle easy throws short and over the middle, and let too many through his hands. An unconfirmed report of a broken hand could explain that away, but the tape got ugly. And most of these clips below are from 2024, so the injury can’t be the entire story.
Conclusion
Overall, Matt Lauter is a pass-catching tight end who had a big 2024 season. He couldn’t replicate those numbers in 2025, and the drops only compounded the problem. An average athlete and poor blocker, despite his effort, gives him a narrow NFL runway.
My NFL comp is Brycen Hopkins.
NFL Draft Projection: Undrafted Free Agent
Steelers Depot Draft Grade: 5.9 (Fringe Roster Player)
Grade Range: 5.5-6.2
Games Watched: vs UNLV (2024), vs Penn State (2024), at San Diego State (2025), 2024/2025 catch cutups
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